***There's a word in this chapter. I don't use it, but it's there. There's even a whole category on Lit for it. It's never held any attraction for me, but somebody's got to like the idea I guess.
Anyway, I needed to use some of it as a vehicle in my plot. If you have an allergy, then skim that part, 'k? 0_<
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Book of the Forsaken Part 2
At her home, Randi found more suitable clothing for her friend. Rudhi proved to be a hard worker and between them, they had everything stacked and ready to be loaded up in the morning, since Randi had changed her mind because the vehicle would still be warm and running then. She closed the locker and set about making a pot of stew for them to eat together. With that started in the pot, she placed a few pots of water on the woodstove to get them to boil.
"Let's go fill the old bathtub. I want a bath and by the time that it's almost full, the pots on the stove will be hot and we'll have a hot bath after we pour that in."
They talked about all sorts of things and Randi wanted to know all about her new friend's life. Rudhi was a little glad of it, because it forced her to try to remember more. She didn't have amnesia – she'd just lain asleep for so long.
"It is a little strange," she said, "In some ways, things seem so recent to me, as though I only closed my eyes not long ago. But it is not so. I was caught and taken before I knew what was happening. I came home to arrange for more soldiers for a battle which was coming, and I ate a meal and went to bed. I remember missing my males because they could not come with me, being needed where we were. I closed my eyes and the next thing that I knew, it seemed that we were under attack. I assumed that the foes were our age-old enemies, but it was really more of a raid. My meal had been drugged and I could not think well. Then I fell and I awoke on this world."
"I was a captive and only saw a little of the city where I was, but I remember that it was new and clean and full of people." She looked down for a moment. "As I have said, we feel the ones that we care for. Even where I was, I felt the ones who loved me. I knew that they lived.
When I awoke a few days ago, this feeling was gone. I do not know how much time has passed, but the city was deserted and lies now in ruins. Things which were new – such as the building where I was kept – are now piles of rubble.
So I know that it must have been ages that I lay there."
"But why, Rudy?" the redhead asked, "Why did they grab you? Why did they bring you here?"
Rudhi shrugged, "I only know a little. The ones who took me were blood-drinkers, all of them, though they did not touch me directly. From the way that they acted, I believe that they were a little afraid of me. They used others for tasks. I was forced to do only a little, but when they saw what I did, they were pleased.
I thought that doing it would cause them to give me a little freedom, but they caused me to sleep and sealed me almost right afterwards. But I did learn a little. There was one other who worked for them and could remember nothing. They acted as though they taught that one – and they never spoke a name. But I know that this person was a female. No name – they only called her 'She'. It made me wonder what they called me."
"Maybe they called you 'The Other One', Randi grinned and Rudhi laughed, "Maybe they did.
I never saw her. She was away, they told me, doing their work whatever it was. No one ever said it to me, but after a time, I knew my purpose there.
If 'She' ever tried to throw off their yoke on her, it would be my task to destroy her."
"What happened to her?" Randi asked, "Did she live, or get away?"
"I cannot say," Rudhi said into the other's mind with a shrug, "I do not know. When I awoke, the seals which held me were very weak. I broke them easily and walked away. I think that she must have been another like me – taken from someplace and used for whatever they wished. If she still lives, I have no ill will toward her, and I wish her well. The only thing that I was told was that I would know it if I was in her presence."
After that, Randi wanted to go back to an earlier point. "What did you mean when you said that you missed your males?"
Rudhi looked down, "There were different realms where I am from. Some were ruled by groups, some by kings. Mine – by queens only. Males could hold high places, but the rulers were always queens. My mother was the last, I guess. All that we knew were wars. The lands ruled by groups were the first to fall to the rest of us. It took time to discuss everything for them. While they discussed, we acted. Those lands were taken before I was born. In my time, there were only three lands left, but we were all weak from our stupid fighting and murder.
In times such as those, a queen would take several consorts, since one never knew what might happen. Marriages were arranged when the princesses were only babes, and usually there were two males decided upon – also infants. My mother had four consorts – the two which were arranged for her, a third male and one female, who was her favorite. I always remember them being together.
For me, there were two as well, but I had no wedding yet. It was still a year off when I was brought here, and years are a little longer there. As was usual, the males for me were from different backgrounds – one was of noble blood and one was not.
I met them by chance once, and though it was very unusual, we fell in love before we all knew who we were. Both of my males were warriors with much fame between them – heroes of the people for the things which they'd done, and I was the princess who would rule one day, but neither of them knew it then.
All that they knew was that their positions were besieged. Aid had been summoned and I led it. In our hidden messages, three commanders to each other, they suggested that my troops attack from one quarter and they would hold what they had while the old commander which they expected probed cautiously for the best weak spot to press the enemy. It was a plan which they hated, but they knew how they had to deal carefully with the old bird.
But I had already heard this plan from the old one and I had relieved him of his head for it Thousands would die while he played and probed. My response was that I would attack in the night in a place of my own choosing, in case that our messages were being read. I told them to prepare to ride out to meet me when they saw the fight beginning.
We met on the field by the first light of the next day, three young commanders with three small armies between us. I didn't know who led the fighters coming to meet my own and they knew nothing of the girl who led from the front to come to their aid. We were all surprised and said only a few words between us and did not meet again until nightfall.
